DA 8354 BOC Kooragang Assessment Report
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DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION ASSESSMENT REPORT Irrigation of Cooling Tower Effluent DA 8354 Environmental Assessment Report Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 November 2017 Cover photo: BOC Kooragang cooling towers (Cooling Tower Waste water Treatment Design Report, MJM Environmental Pty Ltd, 16 November 2016) © Crown copyright 2017 Published November 2017 NSW Department of Planning and Environment www.planning.nsw.gov.au Disclaimer: While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that this document is correct at the time of publication, the State of New South Wales, its agents and employees, disclaim any and all liability to any person in respect of anything or the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance upon the whole or any part of this document Irrigation of Cooling Tower Effluent Environmental Assessment Report DA 8354 ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS AHD Australian Height Datum ANZECC 2000 Guidelines Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality Applicant BOC Limited AS Australian Standard ASS Acid Sulfate Soil BCA Building Code of Australia BOD Biochemical oxygen demand Construction The carrying out of works, including minor earthworks, and installation of pipeline and other infrastructure Cooling tower effluent Cooling tower blowdown wastewater as described in the SEE and RTS Council Newcastle City Council DA Development Application Department Department of Planning and Environment Development The development as described in the SEE and RTS for the irrigation of cooling tower effluent DPI Department of Primary Industries Effluent Guidelines Environmental Guidelines, Use of Effluent by Irrigation (DEC, 2004) EP&A Act Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 EP&A Regulation Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 EPA Environment Protection Authority EPI Environmental Planning Instrument EPL Environment Protection Licence ESD Ecologically Sustainable Development, as defined under the Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 HAZOP Hazard and Operability Study HNEPH Hunter New England Population Health Minister Minister for Planning (or delegate) OEH Office of Environment and Heritage Operation The storage, treatment and irrigation of cooling tower effluent to a grassed area on the site PASS Potential Acid Sulfate Soils POEO Act Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 RTS Response to Submissions titled BOC Kooragang DA 8354 Response to Request for Response to Submissions prepared by MJM Environmental Pty Ltd dated 22 June 2017 SEARs Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements Secretary Secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment, or nominee SEE Statement of Environmental Effects titled Cooling Tower Effluent for Irrigation – Statement of Environmental Effects prepared by MJM Environmental Pty Ltd dated 15 March 2017 SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy Sensitive receiver A location where people are likely to work or reside, this may include a dwelling, school, hospital, office or public recreational area SRD SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 Three Ports SEPP State Environmental Planning Policy (Three Ports) 2013 Waste As defined in the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 Waterlogging The accumulation of excessive moisture in the soil within the zone or depth desirable for favourable root development of plants (DEC, 2004) NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment i Irrigation of Cooling Tower Effluent Environmental Assessment Report DA 8354 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................... i TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................... ii 1. BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. The Department’s Assessment .......................................................................................... 1 1.2. Development Background .................................................................................................. 1 1.3. Site Description................................................................................................................... 2 1.4. Surrounding Land Uses ...................................................................................................... 2 1.5. Other Development Approvals ........................................................................................... 2 1.6. Cooling Tower Operation .................................................................................................... 3 2. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ....................................................................................................... 3 2.1. Description of the Development ......................................................................................... 3 2.2. Applicant’s Need and Justification for the Development .................................................... 5 3. STRATEGIC AND STATUTORY CONTEXT ................................................................................. 5 3.1. Strategic Context ................................................................................................................ 5 3.2. Part 4 Development ............................................................................................................ 5 3.3. Consent Authority ............................................................................................................... 6 3.4. Delegated Authority ............................................................................................................ 6 3.5. Permissibility ....................................................................................................................... 6 3.6. Other Approvals .................................................................................................................. 6 3.7. Considerations under Section 79C of the EP&A Act .......................................................... 6 3.8. Environmental Planning Instruments .................................................................................. 6 3.9. Public Exhibition and Notification ....................................................................................... 7 3.10. Objects of the EP&A Act ..................................................................................................... 7 3.11. Ecologically Sustainable Development .............................................................................. 7 4. CONSULTATION AND SUBMISSIONS ........................................................................................ 8 4.1. Submissions ....................................................................................................................... 8 4.1.1. Public Authorities ................................................................................................... 8 4.2. Response to Submissions .................................................................................................. 8 5. ASSESSMENT................................................................................................................................ 9 5.1. Soil and Water .................................................................................................................... 9 5.2. Other Issues ..................................................................................................................... 11 6. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 12 7. RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................................................... 13 APPENDIX A: DEVELOPMENT CONSENT .................................................................................... 14 APPENDIX B: CONSIDERATIONS UNDER SECTION 79C ........................................................... 15 APPENDIX C: CONSIDERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING INSTRUMENTS .............. 16 APPENDIX D: STATEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS .................................................... 17 APPENDIX E: SUBMISSIONS ......................................................................................................... 18 APPENDIX F: RESPONSE TO SUBMISSIONS .............................................................................. 19 NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment ii Irrigation of Cooling Tower Effluent Environmental Assessment Report DA 8354 FIGURES Figure 1: Site Location ............................................................................................................................ 1 Figure 2: Site (depicted in red outline) .................................................................................................... 2 Figure 3: Proposed Irrigation System ..................................................................................................... 4 Figure 4: Proposed Irrigation Area .......................................................................................................... 4 Figure 5: Proposed Irrigation Pipework System...................................................................................... 4 NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment iii Irrigation of Cooling